UNPACKING TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATION

Communication Complex

Research shows that the increasing popularity of social media has many positive and negative effects for children and young people.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, large numbers of children and young people are using the Internet to access social networking sites to communicate with one other and share feeling and voice opinions (Richards, Caldwell and Go, 2015). Social media is reported to allow young people to momentarily suppress their problems and research identifies that social networks help introverted young people become more sociable and empathetic.

However, social media can also have negative mental health effects including ‘Facebook depression’ and cyber bullying.

‘Cyberbullying is deliberately using digital media to communicate false, embarrassing or hostile information about another person. It is the most common online risk for all young people and is a peer-to-peer risk’ (Richards, 2015).

The effects of cyberbullying are serious including cases of depression, isolation, anxiety that can even lead to suicide (Richards, Caldwell and Go, 2015). The main appeal of cyber bullying is the anonymity of the attack and the feeling of power associated. After conducting a survey about communication and social media, the results provide some insight into the way mental health is being affected.

‘Daily overuse of various forms of media and technology has a negative effect on the health of all children, preteens and teenagers, which in turn, makes them more prone to psychological disorders like anxiety, depression and others’.

After conducting a survey about communication and social media, the results provide some insight into the way mental health is affected. Here is a list of some stats:

92% of people have moderate-high communication apprehension

People would rather text than any other form of communication

Only 21% of people believe that social media allows them to be heard

70% of people voted that they want more authentic social interaction and relationships

40% of people voted that social media makes them feel isolated and lonely, 30% voted sometimes

60% of people spend more than three hours on social media and 11% spend more than seven hours

40% of people also voted that they experience FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

Based on these statistics and research findings, social media poses many benefits to our day to day life but also many threats to our mental health.